OREANDA-NEWS. July 01, 2014. The Prime Minister of France, Manuel Valls, visited AREVA’s Creusot Forge site, which is specialized in the fabrication of major forgings and castings. On this occasion, Mr. Valls inaugurated the site’s new 9,000 ton hydraulic press.

In order to meet the international nuclear market demand for reactor heavy components, AREVA Creusot Forge undertook a program to modernize production capacity. This program was also presented to Mr. Valls.

Featuring state-of-the-art equipment (accelerated tool loading, laser measurement), the new press will make more forging operations faster and more precise. AREVA Creusot Forge also features an 11,000 ton hydraulic press, some of the world’s most powerful furnaces, and tooling machines for high-precision finish machining.

Thanks to this exceptional industrial asset, AREVA is one of the few suppliers capable of producing the forgings of the reactor pressure vessel, steam generator, and other vital nuclear reactor components. AREVA’s equipment facilities also include the Chalon St-Marcel and Jeumont factories where these components are assembled.